London Euro-MP Jean Lambert has urged people to dance in support of a campaign to end the violence which affects an estimated one billion women and girls every year.

Speaking after the European launch of the ‘One Billion Rising’ campaign against violence towards women, Ms Lambert said:

“Violence against girls and women is always unacceptable, yet it is happening on a massive scale: campaigners estimate one in three women worldwide – that’s the best part of a billion people – are raped or beaten each year.

“Whether it takes the form of sexual violence, systematic discrimination or denial of rights or access to resources, gender-based violence is a breach of human rights – and must be stamped out.

“I hope Londoners will get behind the campaign – and dance on Valentine’s Day to show that they won’t tolerate living in a city where violence against women and girls takes place – often with impunity – day after day.”

The campaign has been organised by the V-Day Movement, a global campaign against violence to women and girls that has raised over $90 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, reopened shelters, and funded over 14,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, the USA, Egypt and Iraq.

It aims to mobilise one billion people around the world to make their opposition to all gender-violence, especially rape, known on February 14th, either by dancing, making a video, publicising the event at work: hundreds of events have already been organised around the world, 15 in London alone.

Ms Lambert made her comments at a Brussels event with writer Eve Ensler at which MEPs from across the political spectrum and the EU pledged to support ‘One Billion Rising’.